Gas pipeline improves supply to homes and businesses

The construction of a 138 km-long gas pipeline between Jurbarkas and Klaipėda in Lithuania will secure the reliability and safety of natural gas supplies. The scheme also offers the potential to connect 56 000 residents to the gas network, along with more than 280 processing, production and supply facilities in different sectors of the economy.

Additional tools

The new infrastructure will significantly increase the country’s natural gas capacity. In addition, the pipeline will allow for the transportation of natural gas from a terminal being built in Klaipėda. The project therefore makes a significant contribution to the integration of Lithuania’s gas transmission system into the EU’s common energy market.

A green project

In making it possible to connect new domestic and industrial customers to the gas network, this investment should generate wider economic benefits for the country; it should also help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by encouraging consumers to switch from fuel oil to natural gas.

Work was divided into three phases, with the pipeline running from Jurbakas to Tauragė, then Tauragė to Šilutė, and finally Šilutė to Klaipėda. This third phase included the construction of Klaipėda-2 metering and regulating station.

A number of environment-friendly measures have been taken when laying the pipeline. At crossings with roads, the pipe work has been laid in protective enclosures. At river crossings, the project aims at mitigating environmental impact by direct horizontal drilling, which means that the pipeline does not come into contact with surface water. This installation technique also preserves the natural gradient of the waterways.

Total investment and EU funding

Total investment for the project “Construction of the Jurbarkas – Klaipėda Gas Transmission Pipeline” is EUR 59 106 483, of which the EU’s European Regional Development Fund is contributing EUR 22 318 500 from the Operational Programme “Economic Growth” for the 2007 to 2013 programming period. Work falls under the priority “Basic economic infrastructure”.